Background to this inspection
Updated
17 December 2021
The inspection
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.
We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding to test the reliability of our new monitoring approach.
As part of this inspection we looked at the infection control and prevention measures in place. This was conducted so we can understand the preparedness of the service in preventing or managing an infection outbreak, and to identify good practice we can share with other services.
Inspection team
The inspection was carried out by two inspectors and an Expert by Experience who undertook telephone calls to people using the service. An Expert by Experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service.
Service and service type
This service is a domiciliary care agency. It provides personal care to people living in their own houses and flats. This service provides reablement services, overnight care, short term crisis intervention and some home care services.
The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.
Notice of inspection
We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure the provider or registered manager would be in the office to support the inspection.
Inspection activity started on 26 October 2021 and ended on 10 November 2021. We visited the office location on 26 October 2021.
What we did before inspection
We reviewed information we had received about the service since the last inspection. We sought feedback from the local authority and professionals who work with the service. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.
During the inspection
We visited the office and met with the registered manager, the deputy and the service manager, who supports the service. We then telephoned people who used the service and staff. We spoke with six people who used the service and four relatives about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with nine members of staff including care staff who worked in domiciliary care and reablement services.
We reviewed a range of records. This included five care files, records of medication given, training records, staff files and the policies and procedures relevant to this inspection.
After the inspection
We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at further quality and strategic planning documents, We also contacted professionals who regularly use the service.
Updated
17 December 2021
About the service
Cumbria Care Domiciliary and Reablement Service - Copeland and Allerdale. provides personal care and rehabilitation services. They do not provide domestic services. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. When the inspection started the service was supporting approximately 150 people.
People’s experience of using this service and what we found
Cumbria Care Domiciliary and Reablement Service - Copeland and Allerdale is operated by Cumbria Care, the in-house provider of Cumbria County Council. The service provided reablement, domiciliary care, crisis care and overnight care to adults in Copeland and Allerdale.
People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice.
People told us they felt safe being supported by the care teams. Staff were suitably recruited, trained and developed. The staff provided respectful, dignified care and support. Staff were experienced and suitably trained to provide reablement support and personal care.
Risks were well managed and good assessment of needs was in place. Care planning covered all aspects of people’s needs and preferences.
No one we spoke with had any complaints but understood how they could air their views about the service.
The management of the service was of an extremely high standard. The registered manager and the provider ensured high quality care and support was provided. The registered manager and the provider had developed the service during the pandemic to ensure needs of people and staff were met. They had developed the domiciliary branch of the service, introduced a crisis intervention service and had made sure the night service in the area was functioning well. People had a range of needs met in a holistic way.
The culture of the service promoted independence and the reablement model could be seen in all parts of the service. The people and staff we spoke with were very satisfied with the service.
Staff welfare had been given high priority during the pandemic. Staff had access to occupational health support. counselling and management support. This meant people received good outcomes because staff were given the right levels of support to continue to be motivated, professional and caring.
For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk
Rating at last inspection
The last rating for this service was good (published 7/03/2018).
Why we inspected
This was a planned inspection based on the previous rating. We undertook this inspection as part of a random selection of services rated Good and Outstanding to test the reliability of our new monitoring approach
We looked at infection prevention and control measures under the Safe key question. We look at this in all inspections even if no concerns or risks have been identified. This is to provide assurance that the service can respond to COVID-19 and other infection outbreaks effectively.
Follow up
We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our re-inspection programme. If we receive any concerning information we may inspect sooner.